Lickety Split wrote:
- I've neither seen a "white" Brit, Australian, Canadian, etc. emigrate & subsequently represent the US in track & field events. That is why this is news ....
You not seeing it doesn't mean it hasn't happened, but the opposite would be much more common, as the USA team is more difficult to make in just about every event than the countries you named. And guess what, plenty of US athletes, white and black, have represented other countries internationally, most recently and famously Alexi Pappas.
What about athletes who come to the US at a young age, reap the benefits, but compete for other countries? Like Nick Willis? Or Pat Tiernan? The truth is that 90% of athletes will opt for the team they can make (see David Torrence). If your beloved Ben True found some claim to British or Aussie or Argentine or whatever citizenship, he would probably run for that country. Maybe not, I know of a few runners who have been set on making the US team because they like the challenge, but it seems like a probability to me.
And plenty of white Brits and others have played pretty important roles in the formation of the United States. Remember the Revolutionary War? One of the founders' big complaints was King George barring immigration to the colonies. Remember the Constitution? Those 39 exemplars of patriotism? Seven were immigrants.